Omaha daily bee., 1887-04-05
Colonel" Russell, the Traitor,

heuIWtB fTCSs, APU L.
The distinguished gentleman whose
name heads this article was recently
elected commander of the Grand Army
of the Republic for the department of
Nebraska. His selection was one OF the
greatest blunders the Grand Army has
made for years.
The hummer, dead-beat and corpora.
ton lickspittle, Paul Vandervoort, used
to manipulate g. A. Il. matters in Ne
braska, almost exclusively. and now this
organization has rewarded the chief
traitor to Senator Van Wyck with an
election as its department commander.
1t is true that Colonel" Russell served
with credit rs private soldier during
the war, and was an able and trusted
scout" in General Dodge's secret SER
vice, but he was no colonel" How
ever, rank should cut no figure,
but honor should be considered and it
appears to us that Colonel" Russell is
without that characteristic. AS evidence
of this fact we submit the following.
After Senator Van Wyck's defeat we met
Mr.. HoXie, Colonel Russell's law partner,
ana late register of the Grand Island
land office, IN Lincoln, and as Russell
was accused Of betraying Van Wyck, we
concluded to ascertain what Hoxie had
to say about the matter. After shaking
hands with Hoxie we said:
'Well, old Van is downed at last?"
Hoxie replied: "Yes, ami am glad of
We further SAID: II noticed that Rus
sell got in on the right side in good
time"
Hoxie replied: "Yes; the fact is, Rus
sell never was for Van Wyck, but our
county was solid for the "Old Man." and
Russell had to pledge his support to him
IN order to be elected, but while voting
for hlm here, he was doing all he could
to bring about his defeat in quiet way"
Now. reader, this is as it was told to US
by Hoxie, and this two-faced, double.
dyed traitor to the interests of all the
people, has been honored by the Grand
Army, because he was traitor and the
friend and tool of railway corporations,
and rs the head of the Judiciary commit
tee of the house, was one of the number
charged with attempting to extort money
for defeating bill making gambling
felony. The Grand Army is peculiarly
unfortunate, in putting at the front,
place hunters and specimen, who only
seek to enrich themselves at the expense
of the masses. and in doing so, bring
odlum upon themselves and incur the
hostility of good citizens, who would
uuIultHy NC LuC lIcuu IuC O'u bOl-
dlers. if they refused to allow the Rus.
sells and Vandervoots to manipulate their
organization in the interests of the des-
pollers and robbers Of the people.
We served moro than four years in the
same regiment with Colonel" Russell,
and have nothing to say against him, as
IA soldier, but his perfidy, rs admitted
and boasted of by Hoxie. is infamous
and should cause every soldier and
honest man to loathe him. Colonel Rus
sci while member of the Second Iowa
infantry, was detailed as a scout, and
may have acted in the =. capacity of spy,
as is alleged by the Omaha BEE. Ger.
tain it is that he was both a spy and
traitor in the Van Wyck camp.
Being an old soldier our sympathies are
with them and we desire to. only speak
in kindly words of their action, but un-
less the Grand Army ceases to become
the tail of the political kite of tho Rus.
sells, VandervOorts ct al of the railroad
republican machine, it will soon be
friendless as an organization in Ne
braska